CBR Review: Young Allies #4

I recently reviewed Young Allies #4 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "I want to like Young Allies #4 more than I actually do. The pieces all seem to be here: a writer known for writing teens well, a healthy mix of well-known-but-underused and low key/unknown characters, an artist with an energetic, enthusiastic style, and a group of bad guys perfectly suited for the team. But, something isn’t right and all of these positives don’t cohere in this comic. Part of the problem is how easily the bad guys are dispatched, but, worse than that, there just isn’t anything here to connect with. The group and their plight come off as generic without a strong hook to say 'Read this instead of Avengers Academy or Avengers: Children’s Crusade,' two similar Marvel books."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Captain America #609

I recently reviewed Captain America #609 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "One of the problems with James Barnes, the former Bucky and Winter Soldier, as Captain America is that he’s been out of the hero game so long that he doesn’t have many villains that are his own. Ed Brubaker could fall back on the regular Captain America villains to highlight the differences between James and Steve, but he does something different in the current storyarc by positioning Baron Zemo, a traditional Cap villain, as the natural antagonist to James. Because Zemo’s father was, supposedly, responsible for James’s death, Zemo treating James’s role as Captain America as a personal slight is a logical outgrowth. It’s an interesting approach and makes a lot of sense for both characters."

You can read the rest HERE!

Quickie Reviews (June 30 2010)

Another small week leading up to next week where Marvel unleashes every new project/mini they've got onto the unspecting masses. The books I've gotten that I'm not reviewing for CBR both showcase the writing of Ed Brubaker. Who doesn't like Ed Brubaker? (People with bad taste, that's who.)

Captain America #607: One issue into Butch Guice as the book's regular artist and he's already not drawing it, just doing the inks with the penciller, Mitch Breitweiser. Thankfully, Breitweiser is a pretty great artist and I don't mind Guice not being around. The art styles are definitely different with Breitweiser sketchier and more evocative in his line work. But it fits into the Captain America style. I'm digging Baron Zemo's slow breakdown of Captain America, while Brubaker makes good use of Cap's supporting cast. This is shaping up to be a good arc that actually puts James as Captain America at the centre a bit more. Previous stories didn't seem specific to him being Captain America, but this one does. Zemo wants to make sure his death occurs like it was originally thought to. I like it. Didn't read the back-up. [****]

Secret Avengers #2: A solid issue. Good chemistry between team members, some decent action, the slow reveal of what's going on works... but there also isn't anything great about the issue. Nothing that makes me stand up and take notice. It's all good/very good, but nothing that goes above and beyond. A slight step down from the first issue. I did like the various suits worn by team members on Mars, especially Moon Knight's. A solid issue. [***1/2]

That's it for this week.

CBR Review: Captain America #606

I recently reviewed Captain America #606 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "With Captain America #606, Butch Guice takes over as the regular artist of the book, a move that’s been a long time coming. He’s been working on the book and character for a while now, inking during the Steve Epting/Mike Perkins era, providing pencils for the odd issues, and, most recently, inking/finishing Bryan Hitch’s art in Captain America: Reborn. He kicks things off in grand style in this issue, delivering dynamic layouts and movements in a similar style to Epting and Perkins with elements of Steranko and Chaykin thrown in for good measure."

You can read the rest HERE!

Quickie Reviews (Apr 28 2010)

Another week, another stack of comics. This was a bigger week (for me) and it looks like the same next week. Heavy Marvel week this week, too. Next week, DC is heavier. Weird. As always, anything else I bought will be reviewed for CBR.

Captain America #605: There's something a little too simplistic about this conclusion to "Two Americas." I don't know what I wanted, but I wanted more. Maybe James killing the '50s Captain America is enough for some, but it's too easy. I already know James will kill if necessary as a last resort, so him doing so isn't a huge payoff necessarily. There's an element at the end of him questioning what being Captain America means and I guess I'm glad that that wasn't made too explicit since it could become very cheesy very quickly. Still, maybe a little bit more questioning. I do like the question "What does being Captain America mean?" What version of America should he represent? It's a good question and I don't mind if Brubaker takes his time with it, slowly drawing it out, talking around it, because there is no answer. It's a question where asking it is what matters. I enjoyed Luke Ross's art on this arc, but am looking forward to Butch Guice. Definitely liking Dean White as colourist. It suits the book much better than Frank D'Armata's colours did despite him functioning as a key element in maintaining the consistent art style. I only skimmed the Nomad back-up strip. What an awful pairing of mismatched stories. [***1/2]

New Avengers #64: The final regular issue of the series and I kind of like that it's just another issue. A Siege tie-in focusing on the Hood as we see the build-up to him and his crew joining the fight in Asgard. Some people haven't liked the strong focus on the Hood in New Avengers since the end of Civil War, but it's been a good counterpoint to the team. The Hood is their constant nemesis -- New Avengers as a larger ensemble book than anyone thought it was. This book wasn't just about the heroes, it was also about the villains. A longform story where you see both sides moving against one another. The Hood was never meant to be a typical villain with one storyarc. If this was a TV show, the guy playing the Hood would have his name in the regular cast credits, possibly in the first two or three spots. It's a nice, subtle thing that Bendis was doing -- something that we've seen in superhero comics, but not really to this extent. Maybe other people saw that and I think I did, too, just not as consciously as now. Here, we get the emotional payoff of the Hood's journey as he seems primed to become a bigtime player, nearly loses the only other person he cares about (mirrored by Hawkeye/Mockingbird), and then loses it all except for the woman he loves. Good stuff. Mike McKone was a good choice to do these final two issues since his style isn't too far from Stuart Immonen's with Dave McCaig's colours helping that consistent look. I'll save any thoughts on this part of Bendis's Avengers Era ending for the finale issue. [****]

Scalped #37: Shunka! Unknowable killer! Shunka! Secretly gay! Shunka! Muthafucka will fuck ya up! I don't know why, but I love that sort of thing. And, yet, I can never execute it as well as I want to. Fuck. This issue plays out how we think it will until the twist. Not sure I buy the twist since it's too planned, too calculated, especially when it comes to someone like Shunka. Then again, it does put the narration in a new light -- an unreliable, possibly untuthful light, which I like. Davide Furnò on art is something I always enjoy. Him being a regular fill-in artist is fine by me. His style suits the book. [****]

Secret Warriors #15: See, here, it's obvious that the Hydra folks are part of the ensemble, not just villains that are here one arc, gone another. Why was that obvious here and not as much in New Avengers? Is it because the other is an Avengers title? What? The behind-the-scenes stuff with Daisy and the gang is good -- the stuff with Viper is better. Unexpected and logical. And, oddly, another instance of Earth X possibly being more influential than I gave it credit for. Fury and the Contessa at the end was great, too. Hickman's Fury is a take on the character that I really like. Caselli's art was a bit more cartoony here, his facial expressions more wild and loose -- Contessa is totally vamping it up at times, but Sunny Gho's colours balance it out to keep it grounded, making the cartoony stuff work a little better with the tone of the writing. I guess we're halfway through the run of this book now? Fuck. [****]

Thor #609: I've been enjoying Kieron Gillen's run on the book, especially his stuff with Loki. His discussion with Balder in this issue is great. Gillen uses JMS's run and builds on it in a logical manner. His Loki is definitely one of my favourite takes on the character -- someone as damaged and twisted and brilliant as that one JMS issue where Loki goes back in time and ties everything together. Too bad the art is just ugly. Rich Elson's pages aren't awful, simply mediocre -- they tell their bits fine enough. The Billy Tan pages are simply awful. Ugly messy things that exist only to give me an idea of who says what and maybe if someone hits someone else. [***]

Later

Quickie Review (Feb 17 2010)

It's just like last week where I bought six comics: four $2.99 ones and two $3.99 ones. Same deal this week. But, unlike last week, I'm reviewing the four $2.99 books for CBR. That just leaves the $3.99 ones for here...

Captain America #603: This issue continues the "Two Americas" story and features no Tea Party references, sorry. It's just some good covert ops superhero action as the '50s Cap shows why he got to be Captain America for a period of time. He totally outclasses Barnes and Falcon. Luke Ross's art looks a lot better with Dead White's colours. Bold, thick lines, lots of shadows... good stuff. I didn't read the back-up story. Maybe I'll give it a shot at a later date. [***1/2]

Dark Avengers #14: Another comic billed as a tie-in to Siege that isn't actually. Ignoring that, this is a pretty standard/solid issue of Dark Avengers with the focus on Norman Osborn and the Sentry/Void's mental problems leading up to Siege. Victoria Hand continues to be an interesting/fun character. The scene with Bullseye, Moonstone, and her is pretty good. Mike Deodato's style fits the tone of this book so well. The way that these Siege tie-in issues are working, I may have to provide a reading order for this event like I did Secret Invasion. [***1/2]

That's it for this week. Later.

Quickie Reviews: January 20, 2010

Because I don't feel like saying much sometimes... (And apologies if anything I say here winds up being said on the Splash Page podcast that will go online later this week probably. We had various recording issues, so I don't know what parts of mine and Tim's discussion actually got recorded and saved. But, whatever, if there's some crossover, just play that part while reading this blog and it's like you've got a transcript or some shit. Also, you'll see that, yes, I do write how I talk. Or, at least, I try to... what that says about my writing or how I speak is something I don't know...)

Anna Mercury 2 #3: High-concept action series keeps on a'truckin' boy oh boy. The whole space vikings thing is funny, but I'm more interested in seeing what Anna Mercury's fellow agents are like. The introduction of Max Jupiter -- wait, sorry, "THAT'S MAX FUCKING JUPITER, DEAR" -- at the end of the issue prompted a laugh, partly because of Facundo Percio's art. He's got a slick-yet-rough style. The wild, bug-eyed, freaked out look Mercury has a lot of the time really sells just how fucking insane her job is. Not a reveolutionary work, but I always enjoy it when an issue comes out. [***]

The Authority: The Lost Year #5: Ever wondered what would happen if you found an artist that was influenced by manga-influenced artists and Sam Kieth? Well, wonder no more thanks to Jonathan Wayshak. I'm very close to dropping this book as Keith Giffen's writing is... not good... I have no idea if this was Morrison's original plot or if Giffen is deviating, but it's lacking. Maybe Morrison would have made it work, but Giffen's dialogue lacks nuance and... reads like someone who understands only the most superficial characteristics of the Authority. At least I don't have to see Darick Robertson's art butchered by hack inking... [*1/2]

Captain America #602: Didn't make it through the Nomad story. Don't care. The main story is back into the regular sort of Captain America comic we all know and love. But with Dean White doing the colours. It looks better and why not take the break that Reborn provided as a chance to change the visual tone of the comic? [***1/2]

glamourpuss #11: The car story was a funny gag that didn't work in execution. The rest of the comic with Sim focusing on Stan Drake's facial expressions was great. Really wonderful stuff. [***]

Gravel #16: Both a 'done-in-one' issue and tying into the larger idea of Gravel as the new king of magicians in England. A pretty basic ghost story that's worthwhile as it brings up the friction between Gravel and those that really control England... which follows up on last issue's bit about that. The weakness of the main story hurts this issue a bit, but I do like seeing Gravel in a story that takes up just a single issue. Everything he's been involved in so far has been part of a larger story when, like John Constantine, the character lends itself to short horror stories. I'm kind of surprised that Ellis hasn't tapped that part of the character more yet. [**1/2]

Joe the Barbarian #1: Honestly, if I didn't know what the concept of this series was, I would have liked this issue less. The art is gorgeous in its sketchy, angular detail. But, the writing is weak and relies heavily on the idea that this will work much better when read as part of the whole. I would completely understand someone who had no idea where the story is heading reading this issue and not wanting to buy number two. It would be their loss, but I do understand. (One thing that our recording issues for the podcast does mean is that you won't hear Tim and I discuss this issue. Or how Vertigo's preview pages tend to be the final pages of the comic... good insights there... ah well...) [***]

Power Girl #8: A funny issue that had me more than last issue. I checked out this series partly to review #7 for CBR and partly because I really dug Palmiotti and Conner's "Supergirl" strip in Wednesday Comics. Last issue was fine, but didn't wow me -- or make me laugh much. This issue really brought the funny and did so in an interesting way plot-wise. Power Girl getting drunk and goofy was rather amusing as was the stuff with the bad guys -- and so much of the humour is executed in the visuals. That's a place where a lot of comics fall flat since doing funny comics requires an artist that can sell jokes visually and not a lot of people can do that (mostly because that's not a skill they develop when working on most superhero comics). I think this book may be getting a spot on my pull list. [***1/2]

Spider-Woman #5: I don't really have many thoughts on this book. I enjoy it, but not that much. I don't dislike it. It's like one of those TV shows that you watch because it's on, because you sometimes get one line or scene that makes you want to watch more. Alex Maleev's photoreferenced art is hit-or-miss as most photoreferenced art is. The drop-in at the end by the Thunderbolts comes out of nowhere -- in that bad way. Curious to see where this book is after next issue. I'm on the fence about it really. [**1/2]

And that was this week's non-CBR-reviewed books that I bought.

CBR Review: What If? Spider-Man: House of M #1

I recently reviewed What If? Spider-Man: House of M #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "One of the best and most heartbreaking parts of House of M was the ‘wish come true’ life that Peter Parker got to live and, then, that he would always retain knowledge of that perfect life where Uncle Ben never died, he and Gwen Stacey wed and had a son, and he was beloved and famous for being Spider-Man. The idea of exploring what would happen if the House of M Gwen managed to live past the end of House of M is interesting because of the conflict and emotional turmoil that seems to come with it, something that should work quite well. Sadly, neither story presented here manages to capture that or even tell an entertaining story."

You can read the rest HERE!

Interviews from Chicago Comic-Con

Steve here.

I went to Chicago Comic-Con, as they're calling it now, back at the beginning of August, and a friend and I conducted a few interviews for the website we occasionally write reviews for, Playback St. Louis. The interviews are brief and not very in-depth, but they might be of some interest to people. So here they are in case you'd like to check them out:

Sean McKeever of The Waiting Place

Brian Crowley, creator of the new webcomic Hamster Rage

two cosplayers dressed as Superman and Supergirl

blogger Jacque Nodell and artist Justin Bleep

Cullen Bunn, co-creator of The Damned for Oni Press

Enjoy!